Hundreds of Louisiana Republicans crammed into the Trailhead in downtown Covington on Friday night, under its famed largest-in-the-world statue of Ronald Reagan, to hear Newt Gingrich's pitch for his presidency -- a visionary one, as the candidate described it, in the tradition of Reagan. The adoring crowd waved their paddle fans, reading "Don't believe the liberal media," and hoisted signs touting Gingrich's plan for $2.50 per gallon of gasoline.

Eight days before heading to the polls, several in the crowd described themselves as dedicated and longtime Gingrich supporters.

"But the numbers aren't working out for the best for him," acknowledged Linda Thatcher of Covington, who along with her husband intend to vote Gingrich anyway. "I am a Republican, all the way, so I'll get behind the candidate that's going to represent us against Barack Obama."

His stop in Covington was the first in the candidates' last dash to woo St. Tammany's strong conservative base, in a state that's become an unlikely battleground for the Republican candidates.

Santorum announced Friday that he will be hosting a north shore rally at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Fleur de Lis Event Center in Mandeville, followed by a fundraiser at Dakota in Covington from 2 to 3 p.m.

"We need an energy policy so that no American president ever again bows to a Saudi king," Gingrich said from the podium, to whistles and cheers. He went on, appealing to Louisiana voters by saying he intended to create jobs in the state by promoting drilling and natural gas production.

Obama, dubbed "President Algae" by Gingrich for his support of alternative energy, has said that there "is no silver bullet" to lower gas prices, Gingrich said.

"There is a silver bullet; it's called drilling," the candidate said to shouts of "drill baby drill" from the crowd.

He asked his supporters to call their friends, implore them to vote Gingrich, "just for the fun of watching a Gingrich-Obama debate," he said.

Evans Spiceland, co-chairman of the North Shore Tea Party which coordinated both Gingrich and Santorum's visits, estimated 800 in attendance. Others speculated there were more, up to 1,200, while some put the total at 400 tops.

"I look at this as a historical event as opposed to a political event," said Covington Mayor Mike Cooper, who introduced Gingrich and his wife, Callista. . "This is by no means an endorsement. But a welcome to a former speaker of the House, a candidate for president and his wife, which I think any city would roll out the red carpet for."

Cooper, a Republican, said he has not yet decided who he'll vote for.

Earlier in the day, Gingrich cancelled a scheduled appearance at Textron Marine and Land Home in Slidell in favor of a stop at the Audubon Zoo across the lake, then onto an appearance at the Ye Olde College Inn.

"Newt's the only one, in Obama's words, who's shovel ready," said Paulette Kloeppel of Lacombe, standing in the front row at the Covington event with a friend -- a "diehard" Gingrich fan who wore a Newt 2012 bumper sticker on her forehead and another over the left lens of her eyeglasses in hopes of attracting enough attention for a handshake or an autograph.

There were also some dissenters in attendance -- Covington attorney Eric Bissel and another man, who declined to be named, tore the "Don't" off the tops of their "don't believe the liberal media" fans and waved the remainder during Gingrich's speech from the front row. It was a polite Democratic protest, Bissel said, for what he described as "unrealistic" campaign promises.